Ocon Reflects on ‘Costly’ Force India Clashes with Perez

Esteban Ocon has acknowledged that mistakes on his part played a role in the heated rivalry with Sergio Perez during their time as teammates at Force India. 

Speaking in Formula 1’s Off The Grid video series, Ocon reflected on his first full F1 season in 2017, when he partnered the far more experienced Perez in what was one of the strongest midfield teams on the grid. 

“There was a lot of pressure,” Ocon said. “Checo was extremely consistent and very experienced. I was young, inexperienced, and trying to prove myself.” 

Force India’s VJM10 was the fourth-fastest car that season, but multiple collisions between the two drivers cost the team valuable points. The most notable incidents came in Baku, where Ocon squeezed Perez into the wall while both ran inside the top five, and at Spa-Francorchamps, where Perez forced Ocon towards the wall on two occasions. Another clash followed at the 2018 Singapore Grand Prix, which saw Ocon retire. 

With hindsight, Ocon admits his aggressive approach contributed to the situation. 

“I wanted to push hard and show what I was capable of,” he said. “There were moments where I made mistakes. Spa is one of those things that shouldn’t have happened. It cost the team.” 

Despite the tension, Ocon stressed that the rivalry also helped Force India achieve strong results, finishing fourth in the constructors’ championship in 2017, with Ocon ending his first full season inside the top 10 in the drivers’ standings. 

“We raced hard, and that’s also why we scored so many points,” he added. “I’ve learned a lot from those moments. Mistakes are part of learning, especially early in your career.” 

Although Force India briefly imposed team orders to contain the rivalry, Ocon said he still holds respect for Perez and would have preferred some moments to play out differently.